Excellent lab results - poor cholesterol numbers.

[NY2011]

Hi,

Thought I'd start a discussion to get some advice/feedback from those of us who are dealing with high cholesterol, and if/how food and nutrition has affected your results. 

Overall, my lab results are usually excellent, but my total cholesterol is 164 - nothing to brag about.  I've been prescribed 10mg Crestor, but I was hardly taking it until my doctor took me by my shoulders and said "dude, you have a family history of heart disease. Take the statin every day."  He has a way of getting his messages across to me, so I'm changing my diet while simultaneously running a little experiment. 

Here's what I've decided to do:
1) Start the morning with water, lemon juice, cayenne pepper and agave.
    a) Taking only 5mg of Crestor instead of the prescribed 10mg.
2) add oatmeal to my morning routine 3x week with added Udo's Oil 3-6-9. 
3) dandelion root, nopal (cactus fruit), cucumber and pineapple juice combined in a NutriBullet every day.
4) Bitter melon tincture added to home-brewed matcha green tea, every day.
5) 1-2 Tablespoons of Barlean's Omega Swirl flax seed (strawberry-banana) every day
6) Vitamin C and Tart Cherry juice added to club soda at least once per day
7) Apple cider vinegar or ACV added to club soda with raw honey as a beverage with meals.
8. run 2 miles per day, 4x week, on a treadmill or outdoors (7 minute mile = 14 minutes of cardio)

Still deciding how to incorporate coconut oil and avocado into the mix.

Let's see how I do in three months.  The goal is to have such great LDL/HDL #s that I can keep Crestor at 5mg, or even take 5mg every other day.

What are some of your suggestions and/or experiences? 

[bocker3]

Did you make a typo?  Your TOTAL CHOL is 164? At my lab, Quest, that would fall well within the ref range of 125-200.  Could 164 be your LDL?
A total chol result without the LDL and HDL isn't all that informative.  However, not too many people would be concerned with a Total chol of 164, unless you had a real low HDL

Mike

[NY2011]

Hey Mike... good catch.  It's 264, not 164.  Yikes!

[NY2011]

Still deciding how to incorporate coconut oil and avocado into the mix.

I just started doing these two things:

1) I just purchased low acid coffee (Healthwise on amazon.com) - I brew it in a French press and add a teaspoon of coconut oil, cinnamon and whole milk, and blend it with a NutriBullet.  It's delicious, and doesn't need a sweetener. 

2) I slice half an avocado and drizzle it with EVOO and add S+P.  I just eat it in between meals, or with. 

Seems easy enough.

[bocker3]

Hey Mike... good catch.  It's 264, not 164.  Yikes!

So -- what are your LDL and HDL results?  It's very difficult to make heads or tails out just the Total Chol - though many people (including some docs) seem to concentrate on that result only.

Also--
Did you try diet and exercise to lower your lipids prior to going on a statin? 
Why do you have so much troubling taking the statin as prescribed?  I'm assuming it is the statin only and not all meds that you aren't following dosing.
Have you discussed your plan with your doctor?

Quite honestly, if you have a total chol of 264 while taking a statin only sporadically (low dose to boot) it might be possible to talk to your doctor about trying to lower it with diet and exercise alone for a set period.  If that doesn't work, then go back on the statin (and actually take it).  My fear with your plan is that you won't know what actually impacts any improvement in your lipids -- the statin or your diet/exercise changes.

I've been on 20 mg of lipitor (was on Zocor until I started my HIV meds) for 20+ years because I couldn't lower my lipids with diet/exercise.  I too have a tremendous family history of heart disease -- men on my dad's side rarely lived past 50 years old before statins.  In fact, my dad was the first male in 3 generations to do so (as far as he knows).  He has 5 brothers - 1 died of heart disease at 47, the others are all in their 60's or 70's now -- thanks to statins.  My older brother and I (and a number of male cousins) have past the 50 mark in this generation.  So -- these meds can help.  Of course, you can't prove that "not dying" was tied to the statins, but given the history, I'm comfortable making that leap to some degree.

At any rate - you sound like you really want to do this with minimal / no statins.  If you can -- great, but be up front with your doctor and see if you can NOT take the statin for a while to see.  Especially as you still seem hellbent on not taking it as he/she is prescribing it anyway.

Good luck,
Mike

[NY2011]

So -- what are your LDL and HDL results? 

Total = 245  (high)
HDL  =  5.4   (normal)  - good fat
LDL   = 164 (high) bad fat, or "the Low Down Low" of the lipid panel.
Trigly = 182 (high)
Non HDL = 200 (target is LDL + 30; mine is 36)

Did you try diet and exercise to lower your lipids prior to going on a statin? 
Why do you have so much troubling taking the statin as prescribed?  I'm assuming it is the statin only and not all meds that you aren't following dosing.
Have you discussed your plan with your doctor?

I haven't been as physically active since my diagnosis in late 2011.  I still ride my bike fairly often, go hiking occasionally, walk a lot (I live in Manhattan), ski on the weekends in the winter and play tennis in the summer, but that stuff is passive and recreational activity.  I think it's taken a while to find the wherewithal to participate in team sports and to push myself, physically.  I'm ready to re-engage. 

I've got 90-100% compliance with Atripla.

My concerns with statins are the findings that it may lead to cataract, low CoQ10 production and muscle/joint pain. However, I'm well aware that the same argument could be applied to Atripla re liver damage, CNS issues, etc.  There isn't a solid logical reason as to why I elect to skip doses in the past, but I'm serious about this for the next 26 days (while also taking CoQ10 supplements).

Dr has given me the OK to go ahead with this experiment for one month, which led him to prescribe one month of Crestor at 5mg.   

[bocker3]

Glad that you are being upfront with your doctor.  Hopefully you'll see good results from the diet/exercise changes.  Of course -- maintaining is always the challenge.......

One last thing -- did you mean your HDL is 54 vs. 5.4?  If it is 5.4, what are the units that it is reported as, because under any lab I've worked in or used, that would be an almost unbelieveably LOW HDL result.  54, however, is pretty good!!  HDL (high-density lipoprotein) is protective of heart disease -- so the higher the better!!

Your overall lipid profile, while definitely "high" is not overly so -- IMO (and I am not a medical doctor, just a former Clinical Laboratory Scientist).  I think you just might be able to make some headway with your plan, given where you are starting!!

Good luck,
M

[ltsurvivoroc]

Hello NY,
I have been fighting the same for 20 years while taking antiviral meds and am happy to share my experiences. Several years ago I had LDL in your range and now consistently keep it below 50. This has been accomplished largely from my nutritional intake. I do stlii take 10 mg daily of lipitor.  This is a smaller dosage than I took in the past. I previously took gemfibrazol, tricor, and crestor; all became too damaging to my liver. My recommendation is to never skip or alter a prescribed dosage of anything. Doing so limits the ability of the professionals to analyze collected data from blood testing in order to prescribe optimal treatment.  IMO the antiviral meds we take have a negative effect on our livers and other organs and/or bodily systems.  I believe you will always benefit from a statin based on your genetic makeup and the objective should be to find the one that does the most good for your LDL with the least harm.

Regarding your exercise I believe you are doing well.  As for your nutritional intake great job with the healthy fats,herbs and natural sugars.  If you share a more complete profile of your daily intake I can provide additional recommendations. It will help to know what your typical daily meals consist of. I would like to help you make wise choices to maintain optimal health with HIV.  My doctors attribute my good LDL to my diet.
Good luck,
Donald

[harleymc]

Only some HIV medications raise Cholesterol levels and there are many effective combinations (including 1 pill combos) that have no adverse effect. I needed to change mine a few years back because of the cholesterol and triglyceride levels. I'm assuming your ID Dr is on top of all that.

I've been breakfasting on oatmeal, nuts and linseed daily now for about 3 to 4 years. Exercise is walking 6 days/ week (10 000 steps/day) and some cardio 3 times per week. My cholesterol & triglyceride levels are fabulous these days.

My biggest risk factors for heart circulatory disease are my age (mid fifties) and being male.

Good luck, ease into that cardio gradually.